Entering the Cambridge Union Debating Chamber, the audience is immediately confronted with bold, red lettering splashed across strewn-together newspapers. “Hate is not a Laramie value” and “It’s hard to be gay in cowboy country” set the tone for the evening, while the twang of a banjo drifts through the space from Kiran Buzza in the corner. Together, this prelude to The Laramie Project serves as both an invitation and a warning: what follows will be a raw, unflinching exploration of intolerance, tragedy, and resilience.

I’ll admit, at first I wasn’t convinced that the Union would be the right setting for this production. While it suited the play’s themes of discourse and conflict, I couldn’t help but feel sceptical of its ability to evoke small-town America. There was something dissonant about watching a play centered on working-class, often less formally educated people in a venue so deeply associated with privileged debate – the domain of wealthy students separated from reality by the ‘walls’ of Cambridge. These very walls, lined with portraits of suited men, at times felt almost off-putting. And yet this tension is what made the setting daring, forcing the space to confront something outside of its usual realm. Directors Izzy Lane and Wilf Offord have crafted something challenging – an ambitious piece of theatre that engages the arena of privilege surrounding it.

“An ambitious piece of theatre that engages the arena of privilege surrounding it”

The Laramie Project centres around the notorious murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, and the experiences of those in town affected. The cast of 10 take on multiple roles throughout the play, often switching rapidly between characters. This constant transformation, an intentional choice, at times created a sense of disorientation – mirroring the complexity of perspectives within the story. However, some transitions were definitely smoother than others, and there were moments when one wished for a little less multi-rolling in order to make the performance less fragmented. A more measured approach could have given certain moments more space to breathe, and let these elements of the production shine more fully.

This aside, the cast was well-chosen and worked as a cohesive unit to bring the play to life. A particular highlight was Jacob Mellor, who delivered a series of commanding performances as a sergeant, priest, student, and even one of the murderers, blending authority with raw emotional depth. One striking scene saw his character so overcome with emotion that tears streamed down his face. It’s not often you see such unfiltered emotion on stage – and it made for an incredible moment.

“For a brief moment I forgot I was watching a student production”

Keyna Wilcox, meanwhile, had a fantastic range and flexibility, transforming into a whole spectrum of characters and bringing an array of emotions to match. Her standout moment came playing a cruel preacher with chilling conviction. As ‘Amazing Grace’ hummed in the background, her electric stage presence battled against the noise, holding the audience’s attention while navigating the fury of a character trapped in the confines of their own bigotry. It was so immersive that for a brief moment I forgot I was watching a student production.

But it was Jaysol Doy who perhaps left the strongest impression of the cast. Each role he encompassed, including the deceased’s father, made for a realistic, compelling showcase that lingered long after the performance ended. Every time he came on he commandeered the audience's attention – and whenever he wasn’t on stage I found myself eagerly awaiting his next appearance.

“The performances were generally strong, and the production filled with depth and emotional impact”

While the performances were generally strong, and the production filled with depth and emotional impact, there were definitely aspects that could have been refined. The lighting, while occasionally effective in heightening the drama, often felt distracting, with unexpected flickers and mistimed cues pulling focus. However, a delicate moment at the end, using fairy lights, brought the production to a satisfying, visually sumptuous close.

The American accents kept the play grounded in its setting, but were somewhat inconsistent – and some actors’ diction made key moments difficult to follow. This comes to a head in a scene displaying the sensationalism of the media’s coverage of the case. The cast stood around the room pretending to converse as if on the news, which was a little awkward and didn’t quite achieve its intended effect. The demands of multi-rolling and varying dialects in between made for some accidental overlap, where different accents spilled into each other – such as a Southern-sounding drawl which didn't always match characters' backgrounds.

Overall though, this production of The Laramie Project made for a poignant and thought-provoking experience. Staging a play about small-town, rural injustice within the grand, tradition-laden walls of the Union was always going to be a challenge – but that very challenge is what made it feel urgent. As I left the Union I overheard audience members discussing how much the play had moved them, a testament to its ability to spark conversation and resonate after the final scene. This was a production unafraid to be bold, and in that it found its own kind of success.

‘The Laramie Project’ is showing at the Cambridge Union Debating Chamber from Saturday 15 until Sunday 16 February, at 7pm.